The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-10
Republican Tactics Exposed.

Inc RepuDilcan organs snow great deal
more interest in Mr. Thobe's contest for Mr..
| Carlisle'S seat in Congress than Mr. Carlisle
does. Some of them pretend to think that
because Mr.. Carlisle has taken no testimony
in the case he intends either to defeat the
contestant by technicality or expects that
the Democratic majority will award the
seat to him whether he has right ON his side
or not The New York Tribune, for in
stance, says that Mr.. Carlisle will probably
feel compelled to ask from his party an ex
tension of time for taking testimony, and
insinuates that he win be forced to make the
humihating confession that he either con-
temptuously or ignorantly disregarded the
laws for taking testimony, which Mr.. Thobe,
a plain workingman, so scrupulously OBJ
served.
Mr. Carlisles reputation for honesty and
square dealing is too well established to
afford any foundation for the insinuations
and differences in which the Tribune in
dulges, If it does not appear that he was
elected by a clear and unmistakable ma
jority, he will not ask that the contest be
decided in his favor He will resort neither
TO technicalities nor delays when the time
comes for considering the contest. All that
Mr., Thobe will have to do in order to get
the seat will be to prove that he has clear
right to it. Mr.. Carlisle did not take any
testimony for the reason, doubtless, that he
did not think it was necessary to do so. The
fact that he did not is not an indication, as
the Republican organs would have the coun-
try believe, that he has weak case, but
rot hat o u;E
shows that he is confident that Mr.. Thobe
cannot prove his claim, and the result of the
contest will doubtless show that he had the
best of reasons for his confidence. Mr.
Thobe took testimony because he is the
claimant, and it is necessary for him to
have something to support his claim beyond
his mere assertion that he was elected
No one doubts that Mr. Carlisle's district
is Democratic by very large majority. On
a full vote the ma jority is over 5000 1t
gave Mr.. Cleveland 5000 majority over Mr.
Blaine, and in the late State election the
majority for the Democratic candidate for
Governor was little larger. In 1884, when
the Republicans ran candidate for Con-
gress, Mr., Carlisle's majority was about
5000. In the off years-that is, the years
when there is neither State nor a national
ticket-the majority is smaller, and when
Mr. Carlisle has had no opposition in off
years his vote has been less than his major
ity in an exciting contest.
Last year was an off year, and Mr. Car
Isle was not aware that he had any OPP
ponent until the election was close at hand
When he discovered the fact he was not
alarmed, because, as far as he could see, no
active canvass against him was being made
Mr.. Thobe, however, was making a still
hunt as the workingmen's candidate, and he
confined his work almost exclusively to the
two cities of Newport and Covington.
Acting upon the conviction that if there
were no excitement the Democratic vote
would be very light, all his movements were
extremely quiet. 1t must be admitted that
be displayed considerable skill in the man
agement of his canvass, and if some of the
leading Democrats had not discovered what
he was doing, and sounded the alarm at the
last moment, he might have been success
full. AS it was he polled about 5000 votes
against $500 for Mr.. Carlisle.
1t is pretty safe to say that Mr. Thobe
votes than Mr.. Carlisle, and Mr. Carlisle
knows ne will not. What, then, is the use
of Mr.. Carlisle taking any testimony The
Republican organs know very well. or ought
to know, that Mr.. Thobe has no case that
viii command serious attention. They are
trying to make out that he has, however,
simply to create the impression among
workingmen that the Democratic majority
in the House has no regard for a working
mans rights. As the Thobe- Carlisle contest
it will be seen that the Republi-
can organs and Republican members of
Congress will make the most of every OPP
portunity to create the impression that Mr..
Thobe has no chance to get his alleged rights
because he is a workingman. The working
men of the country are too intelligent to be
deceived by tactics of this sort Mr.. Thobe
is only tool of the Republicans.